An open border

Gaza

Israel and the Palestinian Authority reached a landmark deal this week on opening the borders of the Gaza Strip. After an all-night negotiation session personally mediated by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the two sides announced that Palestinian civilians for the first time will be able to travel freely through the Rafah terminal on the border with Egypt. For security against terrorists, a joint E.U.-Palestinian team will conduct video surveillance of the crossing, and the E.U. members will allow Israelis access to the video. Opening the border should boost the Palestinian economy and give moderates an edge in upcoming elections.